Ross William Hamilton/The OregonianThe 2011 Safeway Classic drew 88,100 to Pumpkin Ridge, breaking the tournament record of 87,400 set in 2009.

NORTH PLAINS - The future of the Safeway Classic will decided soon, but if there was one last case to be made for the grocery chain to return as title sponsor, it come as the 40th edition concluded Sunday.

The tournament at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club's Ghost Creek course drew a record crowd of 88,100 for the seven days of activities, primarily the three days of tournament play. It broke the previous record of 87,400 set in 2009 in the first staging at Pumpkin Ridge.

"I'm really excited with the fans that came out," said Tom Maletis, president of Tournament Golf Foundation, the non-profit that runs the LPGA Tour event. "In 40 years, we've had great support. It's a great golf town."

Maletis said the 2011 tournament benefited from good weather and a strong field, and was helped by the fact that almost every marquee player made the 36-hole cut and played Sunday. Such stars as Michelle Wie and Cristie Kerr had morning tee times Sunday, helping draw early fans before the lead groups teed off in the afternoon.

"We had a good flow of fans throughout the day," Maletis said. "I think that really helped."

The tournament's deal with Safeway to be title sponsor ended with Sunday's final round. Maletis the next step is for TGF to start negotiating with Safeway to return as title sponsor, something that TGF considers the only option at the moment.

"I feel like in the next four weeks, we'll have some sort of indication, maybe even sooner," Maletis said. "I'm still optimistic that we can do something."

Maletis said he has been repeatedly approached by fans and volunteers after a story about the sponsorship situation ran in The Oregonian on Wednesday.

"I got a tremendous number of comments just from people around saying, 'Hey Tom, keep it going, bring Safeway back,' and the whole thing," Maletis said. "It was great to hear that."

U.S. Solheim team is set: Captain Rosie Jones announced her two picks for the U.S. Solheim Cup team, and she went young, taking long-hitters Vicky Hurst and Ryann O'Toole.

Hurst, who could have made the team on points if she won the Safeway, made a strong run with a 4-under 67 Sunday as she tied for fifth. "I put out a pretty good fight out there all week," she said.

O'Toole was a more surprising pick, one Jones admitted was "a very wild pick." She is a rookie who has played in just seven LPGA events. She tied Hurst for fifth, beating her career-best ninth-place finish at the U.S. Women's Open.

"She has definitely made her mark and impressed all of us," Jones said.

The top 10 on the points list going into the Safeway - the final event to earn points -- remained unchanged.

No regrets: Na Young Choi had a rough final round, blowing a three-shot lead and losing to Suzann Pettersen in a playoff. But after her round, she said she would try to take positives from the experience.

"I think I got great experience from this tournament, and I feel I got something and walk away to next week," she said. "I'm fine. This is golf."

Choi said she struggled with her putting, which was stellar during the first two rounds, and also couldn't help but notice that Pettersen was make a charge at her.

"She's a little intimidating," Choi said. "I tried to focus 100 percent of my game, and I don't know. I played not so bad, but my putter wasn't going."

Second Safeway: Pettersen won the Safeway for the first time, but it was the second victory in the Portland area for her caddie, David Brooker. In 2007, she was on Lorena Ochoa's bag when she won at Columbia Edgewater.

Brooker is usually addressed as "Dave" on tour, but made his preference known. "Actually, I prefer David, but everybody calls me Dave out here," he said.